Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

HYMN X.

For Advent, For Christmas

Also: Come, O Long-Expected Jesus
Compare: Hail, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord (London: Strahan, 1745).

Music: "Hyfrydol" by Rowland Huw Prichard, 1830
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Meter: 87 87 D

Alternate Tunes:
"Stuttgart" in Psalmodia Sacra, by Christian Friedrich Witt, 1715,
Adapted by Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer  / XML (Melody Only)
"Jefferson" by William Walker, 1835
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Source: George Osborn, ed., The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Reprinted from the Originals, With the Last Corrections of the Authors. Volume 4. (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1869), p. 116.

Haggai 2:7
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come:
and I will fill this house with glory, saith THE LORD of hosts.

1. Come, Thou long expected Jesus,¹
     Born to set Thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
     Let us find our rest in Thee:²
Israel's strength and consolation,
     Hope of all the earth Thou art,
Dear Desire of every nation,
     Joy of every longing heart.

2. Born Thy people to deliver,
     Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us for ever,
     Now Thy gracious kingdom bring:
By Thy³ own eternal Spirit
     Rule in all our hearts alone,
By Thy all-sufficient merit
     Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Notes

1. Or: Come, O Long-Expected Jesus or Hail, thou long-expected Jesus. Return

2. Or: By your death on Calvary. Return

3. Or: Thine or your. Return

Sheet Music by G. P. Root from John Clark Hollister, ed., The Sunday-School Service and Tune Book (New York: E. P. Dutton and Company, 1863, 1865), #1, p. 15.

Sheet Music "Gotha" by the Late Prince Consort from Mary Palmer and John Farmer, eds., Church Sunday School Hymn-Book (London: Church of England Sunday-School Institute, 1892), #31.

Sheet Music "Cross of Jesus" by Sir John Stainer from Sir John Stainer, ed., The Church Hymnary (Edinburgh: Henry Frowde, 1902), #230.

Editor's Note:

In some hymnals, this hymn is formatted as four verses of  4 lines each. The citation to Haggai 2:7 is from one of the hymnals that I've consulted, not from the original (as best as I can tell).

Instrumental sheet music to this and 12 other carols may be downloaded from Sally DeFord Music, http://www.defordmusic.com/carolsforpiano.htm (site accessed September 30, 2006). An MP3 of this arrangement is also available at that page.

There are numerous 87 87 D tunes that have been associated with this hymn over the centuries, including:

• Bergen

• Bilston

• Clevedon

• Cross of Jesus

• Emmanuel

• Expectation

• Frankfort

• Halton Holgate

• Hyfrydol

• Jefferson

• Love Divine

• Rathbun

• St. Andrew (Thorne)

• St. Hilary

• St. Nicholas

• Stuttgart

• Wilson

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